The president plans to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. Eliminating $4 billion in Big Oil tax loopholes would provide customer rebates and help build vehicle recharging stations. Planned investments in high-speed rail and public transportation would also reduce oil use and create jobs. We should also power new trucks with plentiful domestic natural gas instead of diesel.

The president should sell 30 million barrels (4 percent of the total) from our full emergency oil reserve if Mideast instability drives gasoline to $4 per gallon. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton sold reserve oil to lower prices and reduce the deficit.

The House Republicans’ budget would increase foreign oil dependency by slashing rail and public transportation. It would cut funds for research and domestic production of super efficient vehicles, while protecting Big Oil’s tax loopholes.

President Obama has us on the road to lower foreign oil use. This is the time to “invest and grow” and not “cut and run.” We must kick our oil habit before it’s too late.